Sri Lanka Navy arrests 47 illegal migrants heading to Australia

Sri Lanka Navy today arrested another 47 illegal migrants bound for Australia and handed them over to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) for further investigations. A fast Naval Patrol Craft attached to the Western Naval Command has intercepted a multi-day fishing trawler and two fiber glass dinghies in the early hours of Tuesday with the 47 people onboard in the sea off western coast.
The multi-day fishing trawler was intercepted off Chilaw seas while the dinghies were apprehended off Negombo seas. The arrested, 33 Tamils, 9 Sinhalese and 5 Muslims have been escorted to Mutwall Fisheries Harbour to hand them over to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID). The group of 39 men, 3 women, 4 boys and a girl were residents of Jaffna, Vavuniya, Negombo, Mullaithivu, Puttlam, Killinochchi, Wattala, Chilaw, Batticaloa, Kalpitiya, Mawanella and Colombo. The Navy has increased vigilance around the country's coasts to prevent human smuggling. Despite Sri Lanka Navy's efforts and Australia's recent measures to return asylum seekers, rising attempts by would-be asylum seekers continue. Australia, after its new policy of sending asylum seekers to detention centers in offshore islands, has sent 126 Sri Lankans home this year. -->